Community
Montrose Estates supports our local communities through events,
education, renewable energy projects, and community initiatives around Loch Lomond.
Supporting Local Life
Montrose Estates is deeply embedded in the communities of East Loch Lomond. We are not a distant landowner but rather part of the local fabric, with many of our staff living in the surrounding villages and three generations of the Graham family living on the Estate and actively involved in community life.
We have a strong working relationship with many local community groups, including the East Loch Lomond Community Trust, Drymen Community Development Trust and Buchanan Castle Roads and Infrastructure Group. This deep local connection shapes how we make decisions and what we prioritise.
Employment and Livelihoods
The Estate is a significant employer in the region, supporting 21 full-time equivalent jobs across farming, forestry, hospitality, golf, visitor services and management roles. We work closely with local suppliers and service providers, and we believe that a thriving estate depends on thriving local communities. When local families have secure, well-paid work on the Estate and in related businesses, the wider community benefits.
Community Events and Gatherings
Montrose Estates is proud to host and support a range of events that strengthen community bonds and celebrate local heritage. The Buchanan Sheepdog Trial is a cherished annual tradition, bringing farming families together to demonstrate, test and celebrate the skills of their working dogs. We support the Buchanan Flower Show and the larger Drymen Show, a nationally recognised district agricultural gathering.
Education and Research
Montrose Estates welcomes schools, universities and researchers throughout the year. There have been hydro scheme visits for primary schools and Balfron High students take an annual geography trip to Moor Park. In higher education, researchers from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Reading and Ohio State University all have ongoing research projects based on fieldwork undertaken on the Estate.
Community Energy
Montrose Estates played a leading role in developing the 100kW Buchanan Community Hydro Scheme, a project that generates clean electricity while providing a sustainable funding stream for local community projects and initiatives. This project exemplifies our belief that the best outcomes come from collaboration—where the estate, local communities, business partners and public institutions work together toward shared goals. To date, the project has provided over £90,000 in funding to local initiatives.
Supporting Community Aspirations
Whether through formal partnerships, sponsorships of local events, or simple goodwill in the community, Montrose Estates is committed to supporting the aspirations and well-being of our neighbours. This has been exemplified in support for the recent acquisition of Buchanan Church by the Buchanan Church Heritage Trust. We recognise that thriving communities are essential to the future of rural Scotland, and that an estate can only be truly successful if the community in which it exists is also thriving.
Clan Societies and International Visitors
We host International Clan societies from all over the world. The Clan Graham Society regularly holds its AGM at Buchanan Castle Golf Club.
Visitors from Clan Buchanan and other Loch Lomond Clans are also regular visitors to the Estate, tracing the lands and histories of their ancestors through local places and living memories.
5,000+
Annual visitors to the Drymen Show, which was founded in 1816
£94,000
Community benefit to local projects by the Buchanan Community Hydro Scheme